Past a dimly lit dining room was a lighted staircase that led down to the premier of a new local literary magazine in Bakersfield, The Noveltown Review.
The magazine is to be put out on a quarterly basis by the group Noveltown, which is an independent literary press and online blog spot for writers who wish to share their ideas among each other and their readers.
Noveltown came to existence in the spring of 2005 by local author N.L. Belardes, and according to him, he wished to create a place for writers to exhibit hard news and opinion editorials.
Noveltown had always been an idea, but the death of a friend caused him to put these thoughts into action.
“In late 2004, I had an agent, Don Ackland, and he died in a car wreck,” said Belardes, “when he died, I kind of decided to take things into my own hands, and I started media bloging and writing hard news.”
It started initially as a blog center for writing, but then eventually evolved into the magazine this year. The Noveltown team consists of four main components, Belardes, Melinda Carroll, Melody Saberon and Frank Daniels, but also the various writers who contribute to its make-up.
“We wanted to grow what we were doing,” said Belardes, “we are very involved in creating a community.”
That is what the release of the magazine was, a night of networking among different local creative forces. A joining of local musicians, artists, authors and filmmakers filled the basement-like bar.
Hectic Films, a local film company was present to lend their support to Noveltown, and they currently created an adaptation of Belardes book, Lords: Part One, into a film.
Jason Sanders, co-creator of Hectic Films said, “there was an actual ‘Lords’ contest that Noveltown was holding and the film premiered at the Independent Film Festival here in
Bakersfield,” said Sanders, “It’s amazing what he has done already, but just to see him go a step further is amazing.”
Local Artist Marisela Oropeza was also there to offer her support to the magazine.
“I think it is great,” said Oropeza, “doors are really opening for local artists and people who want to express themselves.”
“We want to network with the Bakersfield community,” said Belardes.
The sounds of ska, funk and cumbia echoed throughout the premier. The music was provided by Bakotopian Matt Munoz, which is another local entity that hopes to unite local music and culture.
Belardes went on to comment about the cultural aspect of Bakersfield, “People in Bakersfield talk a lot about the town not having culture and that’s what the magazine is.”
“The people who say that (there is no culture in Bakersfield) are not recognizing their culture,” said Belardes, “If you don’t recognize culture then you are not a part of it. Culture is in the town, culture is in the bike path, culture is downtown, and culture is in the music and the theater. It is here.”
The magazine itself features different writers who are coming from different perspectives.
It features excerpts from up coming books and tips from other writers about different writing styles and how to find your voice.
Some of the stories in the magazine were funny, such as Brad Litsi’s piece from an upcoming book of his. The story in the magazine is about his Christmas experience as a child with his eccentric family.
Others told the darker tale of New York City wanderings with the eyes from a succumbed point of view.
“Our first issue is very serene and nice,” said Belardes, “but the next issue we really want to get gritty.”
Belardes is interested in writing the dirtier, gritty stories of hard news and reality.
He said that the next issue will feature writers from London who call themselves “The London Brutalists.” He described them as a group of off-beat writers whose work portrays that of the 1950’s beat generation.
“It’s graphic, it’s rough and it’s raw and that’s what we want to put out.”